Motor-vehicle.



No. 310,379. 7 PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

H. M. POPE.

OTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10; 1903.

i The conditions requirements of construction quite different UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

I HARRY M. POPE, OF CHIOOPEE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY

'MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

PORATION OF NEW YORK.

MORTON TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE, A (JOR- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Original application filed October 23, 1899, Serial No- 734,420. Divided and this application filed September 10,1903. Serial ITO-172,563-

To (LN whom, it may concern.-

Be it known thatI, HARRY M. POPE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicopee Falls, county of Hampden, State of Mas- 5 sachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to, the running-gear frames of motor-vehicles, the present application being a division of an application filed October 23, 1899, and serially numbered 734,420 for improvements in motorevehicles. of use of such vehicles impose from those which have to be met in draft-vehicles. mechanism must be properly supported and should be supported independently of the body of the vehicle or that portion upon which the occupants are seated. The motor, driving mechanism or connections, and driving-wheels should also be supported and connected by a rigid unyielding frame which will maintain exact alinement of the parts under all conditions. At the same time the four wheels of the vehicle must be capable of adapting themselves to a warped or uneven 3o road-surface, and as the steering-wheels are; mounted independently upon a relatively fixed axle which stands always in a vertical plane substantiallyparallel with a vertical plane which includes the axis'of the driving 5 wheels there must be such a connection between that part of the frame which supports the motor and driving-wheels and the other.

. part as will permit of a relative dis lacement of such axle and axis in such paral el vertical 4o planes in order that the wheels may accommodate themselvesmo an uneven road-surface. This connection should also be of such character as to absorb to some extent the vi brations of that portion of the frame which supports the steering wheels or should at least prevent their transmission to the other part of the frame, while it should not be a looseconnection such as would allow wear and permit rattling. The axle of the driving-wheels in particular should also be braced,

- so as to resist strains in a horizontal direction. In the present case it has been sought The weight of the motor and driving to devise a form of runninggear frame which shall meet these several requirements, while capable of modification in form and arrangement to meet different requirements of use.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a running-gear frame embodying the invention, the motordriving connections and wheels being indicated. Fig. 2 is a View in side elevation of the runnin -gear'i'rame shown in Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is a (Ietail view of a form of connecting device which may be employed between the two parts of the frame. As represented in the drawings, the frame comprises two parts or reach members, which are:so connected as to permit relative oscillation or displacement about a longitudinal axis, while the two axles are held from relative displacement in a horizontal plane. One of such parts supports the motor A, driving connections, and drivin -wheels C always in the same relation, this part of the frame being rigid and unyielding, so as to prevent relative displacement of the several bearings supported by it. The other part of the frame supports or includes the. axle D, upon which are mounted the independent pivoted steering-wheels C. The first-named part of the frame is essentially triangular, in that it has three points of support or suspensiouone at its apex, Where connection with the other part of the frame iseffected, and the other two in 'a line which forms-the base of the triangle and corres onds with or is parallel with the'axis of the living-wheels; but in actual form it may departmore or less from a triangleso far as its side members are concerned. Whenever, therefore, mention is made hereinafter of a triangular frame, it will be understood that such mention is made with reference to the arrangement of the, points of support or suspension rather than the actual orm.

In the construction shown in the drawings the axle D of the steering wheels C is represented as held from displacement in the hori zontal plane by. connection through lon itudinal springs G to the reach member which makes up a portion of the forward part of'the rumiing-gear frame and may also be a part of the body (not shown) of the ve hicle. The other part of the runningear frame-that is, the reach member E", w 'ch and driving-Wheels Cis in actual form" rather U-shaped than triangular;'but the ar'- rangement of the oints of suspension is trif angular, two of t e points being in a line which is practically coincident with the axis E of the driving-wheels, while the other point is'at the apex'of this part of the frame where the connection with the other part of the frame is effected. The connecting device may be ofany character which w1ll be flexible in a vertical plane, such as that shown in detail in Fig. 3, and comprisingba socketf, carried by one part and engaged y a head f carried by the other part. Springs G are shown .as secured to the reach member D and to the rear reach member E", such construction, as will be obvious, forming a yielding connection between the two longitudinal side rods of the part D of the frame, and therefore permitting the part D of the frame to yield to a certain extent to 'accommodate itself to any unevenness in the road or to the tilting of the body. The sprin s G also serve to prevent displacement in a orizontal plane between the main or body-carrying part of the frame and the rear axle, and. thereby to hold said rear axle substantially at right angles with the main or body-carrying part of the frame.

also be clear that other means than the springs G might be provided to perform this function of preventin displacement betweenthe two arts of t e frame. The connecting device etween the two parts of the frame is shown as supported by a cross bar (Z of the frame D 7 Various modifications of the general form of the improved running-gear frame will readily suggest themselves in view of'the foregoing, and it is therefore to be understood that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown.

I claim as my invention 3 1. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a motor, driving connections, drivingwheels and independent steering -wheels, of a two-part running-gear frame, one. part of said frame supporting an axle which is held from movement in a horizontal plane and which is rovided with independent steering-f wheels, t e second part supporting the motor, driving connections and the driven wheels in fixedrelation therewith, said sec- 0nd part being suspended at one point from the first-named part whereby the wheels may accommodate themselves to an uneven surface without distortion of the motor and driving connections, and a spring connection between the two reach members.

2. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a motor, driving connections, drivingwheels and independent steering-wheels, of a two-part running-gear frame, each part of Itwill parts being connected to each other at a sinate themselves to an uneven surface, and sprin connections between the two reach members and between one of said reach members and the axle to which it is secured. 3. In a motor-vehicle the combination with a motor, driving connections, drivingwheels andindependent steering-wheels, of a two-part runmn -gear frame, each part of which frame inclu es' an axle member 'and a frame-like reachrmember extending therefromand toward the oppositeaxle, and a universal connection between the sections of thg running-gear frame and intermediate the ax es.

4. In combination in a motor vehiole innections and indepen ent steering-wheels, a runnin gear frame comprising a pair .of axles an two frame-like reach members extending therefrom, a universal connection between the tworeach members intermediate the axles, and a spring connection between the two rea'ch members.

5. 'In combination in a motor-vehicle ineluding a motor, driving-wheels, driving connections and independent steering-wheels, a running-gear frame comprising a pair of axles and two reach members extending from said axles toward each other, one of said reach members being spring-supported upon one axle, and a universal connection between the 6. In combination in a motor-vehicle ineluding a motor, driving-wheels, driving connections and independent steering-wheels, a running-gear frame comprising a pair of nection between the axles, and spring connections between said reach members adjacent to one of the axles.

7. In combination in a motor-vehicle including a motor, driving-wheels, driving connections and independent steering-wheels, a runninggear frame comprising a pair of axles, "two reach members, a universal condiate the axles, spring connections between said reach.members-intermediate the universal joint and one of the axle members.

8. In combination in a motor-vehicle including a motor,driving-wheels, driving conent steering-wheels pivoted upon said axlefa running 7 gear frame comprising two members supportedjupon said wheels respectively, one of said members carrying the motor and sprin connections with. the non-pivotal axle.

9. In comb natlon m a motor-vehicle. 1ncludmg a motor, drivmg-wheels, drivmg conwhich frame includes an axle 1nember,,said' gle point whereby the wheels may accommoeluding a motor, drivin -,wheels, driving contwo reach members intermediate the axles axles, two reach members, a universal connection between said members and interme-' nections, a non-pivotal axle, and independ-.

being pivotally mounted on the other mem her, said other me mber having intermediate 12 nections and steering-wheels, a running-gear frame comprising a main member supporting a body or seats, springs at therear end of said frame and a second member carrying the motor and driving mechanism having pivotalconnections at its front end with the main member and directly connected to the Y whereby the axles are held substantially in parallelism.

11. In combination'in a motor-vehicle'including a motor, driving-wheels, driving connections and steering-wheels, a runnin -gear frame comprising a motor carrying ame and a second frame havin longitudinal side bars'between'and on whic the motor-carrying frame is hung.

12; In combination in a motor-vehicle including a motor, driving-wheels, driving connections and steering wheels, a running-gear frame comprising a motor-carrying frameand a second frame having longitudinal side bars and a cross-bar on which the motorcarrying frame, is pivoted.

13. In combination in a motor-vehicle including a motor, drivingwheels, driving connection'sand steering-wheels, a runnin -gear frame comprising a motor carrying ame supported atone end at two points, and a second frame also supported at one end at two points and at the other end upon the firstnamed frame, said first-named frame bein privotally hung at its other end on the secon ame.

.14. In combination in a motor-vehicle including a motor, driving-wheels, driving connectlons and steering-wheels, a running-gear frame comprising a frame supported at two points and a second frame also supported at two points having a cross-bar on which the first-named frame is pivoted.

15. In combination in a motor-vehicle including amotor, driving-wheels, driving con- I nectlons and steerm -whee1s, a running-gear frame comprising a ame supported at two points and a second frame having longitudi nal side bars between and on which the first- 5 5 named frame is hung. i

1.6. In combination in a motor-vehicle including a motor, driving-wheels, driving connections and steering-wheels, a running-gear frame comprising a frame supported at two points and a second frame having longitudinal side bars and a cross-bar on which the. first-named frame is pivoted.

17. In combination in a motor-vehicle including a motor, driving-wheels, drivin con- 'nections and steering-wheels, amain ame adapted to support the body or seats, springs supportin sai main frame, a'second frame carrying t e motor and transmission mechanism'being at its forward end pivotally con-'7 nected with the main frame, and having con.- nections with the rearaxle for holding it. substantially at right angles-therewith.

18. In combination with a motor-vehicle including a motor, a rear a'xle, driving-eonnections from the motor to the rear axle, a" front axle, and individually-pivotedwheels thereon, a runnin -gear frame corn ising a member sup orte at two points om the rear axle an carrying the motor, and a second member supported at its forward end from the frontaxle and extending rearwardly with reach portions projecting beside the motor-carryin member, said second member having spring connections in the rear and being adapted to carry the body of the'vehiole, and said motor-carryingmember extending forwardly from the rear axle between the reach portions of the second member and being supported at its forward end pivotally upon the secondmember; 1 i 19. In combination in a motor-vehicle including a motor, driving wheels, driving connections andsteering-wheels, a running-gear frame comprising two members, one member carrying the motor and pivotally connected at its front end to the other member, and s rings on the forward axle su porting the com ined load of the forward en s of the two members, said other member having s ring connections intermediate therewith an the rear axle.

This specification signed; and witnessed 'this 2d day of September, A. D. 1903.

HARRY M. POPE.

In presence of- F. 0. Ross, HERMAN F. CUN'rz. 

